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Although people had exchanged hand-written greetings for centuries,
commercially printed Christmas cards seem to have originated in
London in the mid 19th century.
The first Christmas card was probably designed in 1843 by London
artist John Calcott Horsley. He was commissioned by Sir Henry Cole,
a wealthy British businessman who wanted a card to send to friends
and business acquaintances. The inscription read: ‘merry Christmas
and a happy New Year to you.’ This card is now in the Victoria
and Albert Museum, London.
The images here, seven Christian and eight secular, all come from
our collections.
'Chopping Logs' is from the 'The Golf Book' (so called because
one of its illustrations shows people playing a form of golf), a
16th-century Book of Hours by Simon Bening.
You can turn
the pages of this and other exquisite books on your screen.
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![London Psalter [Scandinavian Psalter]. Anon., Paris, 1250-60. (BL Add. Ms 17868, f.16v)](/cgi-bin/ecards/ecards.cgi?image=/ecards/images/x_add17868_350.jpg&title=London+Psalter+[Scandinavian+Psalter].+Anon.,+Paris,+1250-60.+(BL+Add.+Ms+17868,+f.16v))
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